Danny Boyle is one of the UK’s best film-makers. He first drew attention in 1994 with Shallow Grave, an inventive, creepy thriller. Trainspotting (1996) was as good a drug movie as there ever has been. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) was an international hit and Oscar winner. Given this history, I was eager to view Trance (2013), which arrived in my mailbox yesterday, courtesy of Netflix. I was not disappointed. I watched it without pause from start to finish. It has several familiar elements: art theft, amnesia, psychiatry, hypnosis and betrayal. It kept me guessing as to who was being played, although my instinct proved right in the end. I think I understood it all. It was confusing in parts. One particular aspect was difficult and can only be explained as a random occurrence the perpetrator had not anticipated. Rosario Dawson played the lead and did not employ a British accent. Although this was odd casting, it did not hurt the film. Is the nudity gratuitous? As I’ve said so many times, I’ve never seen a nude scene I thought was necessary. There is violence, of course, but far less than in many other films. Kudos to screenwriters Joe Aherne and John Hodge for creating a script that challenges one think. The film's running time is 101 minutes, short by today's standards. Although it is rated 6.9 of ten at IMDb, most of the contributors comments are negative, especially regarding the climactic scene, which is over the top but which I enjoyed. On a scale of five, I rate Trance 3.35.
Tonight at eight PM on NBC Carrie Underwood will star in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music. I am not a fan of the show, but I'll be watching because it will be aired live! This has not been attempted in prime time since 1957 when Julie Andrews did Cinderella by the same renowned team of Broadway legends. Underwood has tons of guts. If the production fails, she will get the blame, and she must endure the inevitable comparisons to the beloved Andrews. Idiots have been sending her hate mail, as if she has no right to play the role. What nonsense. Even though she won't be doing an accent, she has great pipes and great looks. Best of luck, madam.
On Sunday there will be an unusual debut in the NFL. Daniel Adongo, 24, was a star rugby player in South Africa. Despite the fact that he knew nothing about American football, he was scouted and signed by the Colts. He will play only on special teams, which is seek and destroy. Good luck, sir.
The floating book shop had great luck with the weather today, but no luck generating sales. Even the Russians passed, as most of the novels I set out are about organized crime. I might have fallen into a trance if not for well-wishers. My thanks to Marie, who donated three CDs and a DVD, and to the woman who gave me a package of cookies.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
No comments:
Post a Comment